The African Gourmet

Zululand takes its name from the Zulu people. The name belonged to an early chief and translates as ‘heaven’. The largest cultural group in South Africa, the Zulu belong to the northern Nguni group of Bantu-speaking people inhabiting southeastern Africa. A fiercely independent and proud nation, the Zulu are popularly known for their beehive-shaped homesteads, iklwa (a short spear often called an assegaai), crafts and fear-inspiring dances. Zululand covers the area from the mouth of the Thukela River northwards to the border with Mozambique and to the north of the Phongolo River. The western boundary more or less follows the course of the Mzinyati or Buffalo River from its confluence with the Thukela River to its source in the Drakensberg.
 
In January 1879, British troops invaded Zululand after the Zulu King Cetshwayo refused to meet the terms of a British ultimatum. After the war, Zululand was divided into six districts, and was formally declared a British possession on 19 May 1887. The territory was incorporated into Natal ten years later. In terms of South Africa’s policy of creating bantustans, KwaZulu became self-governing in 1977, but unlike Transkei, Ciskei and Bophuthatswana it did not opt for ‘independence.

Source http://www.southafrica.org.za/tour-sa-heart-of-zululand.html

There are few other accurate reflections of the cultural diversity of South Africa which match its official languages. Eleven official languages make South Africa the country with the second-most number of constitutionally recognized languages next to Bolivia and India. All eleven languages are mandated to share equal emphasis and importance, in usage and in development. It is unavoidable that all the official languages have exerted influences on each other. However, their origins still separate the languages from being fully intelligible to native speakers of certain tongues.

English

English is considered the lingua franca of South Africa. It was originally brought in by British colonizers in 1795. Its adoption as a higher language to the local languages was prevalent even amongst the original Dutch settlers. Efforts to educate South Africans by sending them to study in English universities also helped its spread in South Africa’s colonial period. Today, despite being accepted as the language for government and education, English is only the fourth most prevalent home language for South Africans (at 8.2% of the population). The use of South African English is geographically widespread and is colored with a lot of words and phrases from the more prevalent languages like Afrikaans and isiZulu.

Setswana

Setswana ties with English as the fourth most prevalent home language in South Africa. Another language that is spoken widely in the country, Setswana is also a national language in neighboring Botswana and has a few speakers in Namibia. Setswana belongs to the Sotho subgroup of South-Eastern Bantu languages. It was the first Sotho language to be translated from its oral to a written form by early colonial scholars, in an effort to educate and spread religious teachings among the native South Africans.

Sesotho

Sesotho is also known as Southern Sotho, another member of the Sotho subgroup of South-Eastern Bantu languages. Setswana and Sesotho speakers will most likely understand each other. Sesotho was also one of the first African languages that were translated into writing by European missionaries. It is the fifth most prevalent home language in South Africa (with 7.9% of the population as home speakers). It is also the primary language of the Kingdom of Lesotho.

Tsonga

Tsonga is known by several names in South Africa, including Thonga, xiTsonga, and Shangaan. It was brought into the northern provinces of South Africa by the Vatsonga tribes. These same people also settled in southern regions of Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Thus, xiTsonga speakers are found here as well. xiTsonga and xiShangaan are linguistically the same language. However, cultural differences separate them owing to the differing clans that were subjugated and not subjugated by Zulu chieftain Soshangane back in the 19th century. Only 4.4% of the South African population speak Tsonga as their first language. The South African government intends to preserve its rich cultural heritage by utilizing and developing all its official and unofficial languages. This diversity and complexity doesn’t have to be at odds with the current trends of globalization. Competent language translation should enable South Africans and other people to create and maintain effective communication in an increasingly connected world.

By: Tim Keats

Moroccan Chicken an African Delight

Moroccan cuisine is considered as one of the most diverse cuisines around the globe. The reason is because due to Morocco;s interaction with the outside world throughout time. The cuisine of Morocco is a mix of Berber, Moorish, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and African cuisines. The cooks in the royal kitchens of Fez, Meknes, Marrakech, Rabat and Tetouan refined Moroccan cuisine over the centuries and created the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Broiler-fryers cut into pieces
2 chopped medium onions
1 chopped clove garlic
1 cup ground almonds
1 tbsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup honey
1-1/2 cups of chicken broth
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 lemon for juice

Method:
1. In a casserole heat butter and vegetable oil and brown chicken.
2. Season with salt and pepper and remove.
3. In the remaining fat cook onions and garlic until translucent.
4. Add next 4 ingredients, cook over gentle heat stirring until well mixed.
5. Combine the broth and corn starch and add to the contents of the casserole over high heat.
6. Cook and stir sauce thickens.
7. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
8. Replace chicken, spooning sauce over chicken.
9. Bake in covered preheat oven at 350º for 1 hour.

 by: Chris Jacob http://www.articlecity.com/articles/food_and_drink/article_1567.shtml

Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea is located in East Africa, more specifically the Horn of Africa (the Horn of Africa denotes the region containing the countries of Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia) and is bordered on the northeast and east by the Red Sea. The country is virtually bisected by one of the worlds longest mountain ranges, the Great Rift Valley, with fertile lands to the west and the descent to desert in the East. Off the sandy and arid coastline is situated the Dahlak Archipelago and its fishing grounds. The land to the south, in the highlands, is slightly drier and cooler. Eritrea at the southern end of the Red Sea is the home of the fork in the rift. Asmera is the capital and it is situated on the eastern edge of Eritreas highland plateau. Asmara enjoys a great climate, clean and picturesque streets, attractive palm trees, and a reputation as one of the safest, calm and alluring capital cities in Africa.

Eritreas capital holds an amazing surprise. The city was designed by Mussolinis architects as a bold experiment in 1930s Modernism, and Italian coffee, cakes and customs live on. The main port serving Eritrea, Massawa became an urban centre in ancient times. It is the largest natural deep water port on the Red Sea. Massawa is divided into three parts Batse, Tualud, and the mainland. The island Batse comprises the ancient historical centre with interesting houses, hotels, squares and religious buildings and is a marvellous place to wander about. The mountain city Keren, which means highland is one of the five major secondary towns in Eritrea. It is one of the major agricultural centres of Eritrea, particularly for fruits and vegetables, dairy herds supply fresh milk, butter and the cheese producing provolone and other cheeses. 

The currency, Nakfa, is named after this town. Agordat is located between the Barka River and the Gash River. The area is famous for its banana plantations. The Akat trees or Doum Palms seen along the Barka River are known for their fruit. The mosque, the second largest in Eritrea was build by Haile Selassie in 1963. Visitors who have ventured to this little known country since its independence in 1993 have discovered a land of green mountains, deserts and coral reefs, populated by many ethnic groups. The country offers an untamed landscape of astonishing diversity, an interior rich in historical remains, a coastal gateway to some outstanding diving spots, and a broad, hospitable welcome. It will prove irresistible to those seeking adventure.

About the Author
Douglas Scott Source: http://www.articlestreet.com

African coffees tend towards the exotic in flavors as compared to the more well know Latin American coffees. These flavors include what’s described as fruity and floral with high acidity and medium body. Let’s review several of the more popular African coffee growing countries.

Kenya
The king of African coffees, washed Arabica Kenya coffee, is considered overall to be of the highest quality on the continent as a result of years and years of production, very high standards, superior milling facilities and coffee experts.  Located on the east coast of Africa, Kenya’s Mombasa port has been a natural focal point of commerce for ages. The famous Rift Valley of Central Kenya where most of the people live. A fertile land from the tropical coasts, semi-desert north and the savannahs in the south, Kenya’s agricultural products, primarily tea and coffee, contribute to half of the country’s exports.

The primary coffee growing regions are located around Mt. Kenya, just north of Nairobi, the country’s capital. This region has two distinct rainy seasons; the first is April-June which results in what’s called “fly crop” and the second is October-December with its increased rain produces the “main crop.” Characteristics include a high acidity, full body, intense floral and fruity flavors. Growing regions include: Meru, Kirinyaga, Muranga, Nyeri, Embu and several others.

Ethiopia
By most accounts considered the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia is located in northeast corner of Africa just north of Kenya, next to Somalia, Djibouti and Sudan. It is interesting to note that Ethiopia is the leading coffee consuming country in Africa, consuming almost half their annual production. Ethiopian coffee is a prized coffee for its very unique flavors, most often a result of a combination of soil, terrain, weather and often the natural drying process of the coffee cherries in contrast to the washed processing of most Arabia coffees considered high quality Specialty varieties. Characteristics depending on the variety may include: balanced medium body and acidity with winey sweet or floral flavors and blueberry notes. The most popular varieties in the United States are Harar, Yirgacheffe and Sidamo.

Tanzania
The mainland is primarily a savannah plateau lying east of the famous Rift Valley, Tanzania includes the island of Zanzibar. In the north lie Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti National Park. With its tropical climate people are concentrated on the coastal region and in the north. Coffee is one of its main exports.
Tanzania has several regions, north, south and west where coffee growing is found. These Arabica coffees are mostly of the washed and fully washed varieties with the harvest season extending from April through December. Characteristics include a balanced body with bright acidity and flavor. In the south we find more fruity flavors. Popular varieties include Kilamanjaro, Makambako, Songea and Bukoa.

Burundi
This very small, but densely populated country borders Tanzania, Congo and Rwanda with a mountainous high plateau and tropical climate. A very poor country, most of its population survive through subsistence agriculture. Its coffee and tea earn 90% of its export dollars. Primarily a washed Arabica variety, the harvest season extends from February through June. Characteristics include a full body and bright acidity, typical of east African coffees. A long way from the ocean, processed coffee must be transported across land through Tanzania to the port of Dar es Salaam or through Kenya to Mombasa.

Zambia
Like Burundi, Zambia is a landlocked country lying just north of Zimbabwe, but actually bordering seven countries in all. With its tropical climate and high savannah plateau, Zambia has a long rainy season which goes from November through May. Although primarily an Agrarian country, its economy is dependent on mining Copper, but reserves are declining. As a result, the government is promoting agriculture and coffee production is increasing.

The harvest season extends from October through March producing a full-bodied washed Arabica coffee with the general qualities of an average African variety. Raising quality is a priority and government experimental farms are helping to improve growing, harvesting and production techniques that are being shared with the coffee growing community.

Malawi
Another landlocked coffee growing country located at the southern end of the famous Rift Valley between Zambia and Tanzania, Malawi produces a small but good quality washed Arabica coffee harvest. With a subtropical climate, its economy is primarily agricultural with 90% of the population living in rural communities.

Although the country is a ward of the IMF and World Bank, independent coffee, tea, sugar and tobacco farmers are producing the main exports. Coffee production is difficult as irrigation is required as a result of recent drought conditions and unpredictable rainfall. This situation restricts coffee production resulting in a small but quality coffee crop each year. The washed Arabica beans are processed as fully washed coffee harvested from April through September producing a coffee of medium acidity and light body.

 Article by: Steve Josephs http://www.articlecity.com/articles/food_and_drink/article_2145.shtml